Thomas shields



YT. SHIELDS.

Bee Hive.

Pat-ented Oct. 6, 1868.

NPETERS, PNOT0L|TNOGRAPHEW. wAiHmGTON. D Cy @uitrit tatra @anni @titre THOMAS SHIELD-S, OF. HILLSBORO, GHIO.

Leners Patent Nt. 82,757, dated october c, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-RIVES.

llgt .Stigehnlt ttfsmh tu in there trsts aient rmt making artt nf tige same.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SHIELDS, of Hillsboro, in the county of Highland, and State of, Ohio, have invented a new and improved Bee-Hive; and I do hereby declare that the following is a. full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification--4 Figure 1 being a transverse section inthe line y y of tig. 2,

Figure 2 a longitudinal section in the line aix of fig. 1, and

vFigure'f an end view of my said improved bee-hive.

Similar letters indicate like parts in all the drawings.

The exterior enclosing-portion of my improved bee-hive consists ofthe opposite end casings AA; the opposite side casings B, C C, the double-inclined bottom sections D E, and the removable'ro'oi` F, the said parts'being combined with each other, and the supporting-legs,p10being secured to the sides of the bee-hivein the manner represented in the drawings.

The upper ends ofthe bottom sections, D E, are brought to a horizontal vline with each other, and serve aS supporters to the series of honey-frames, d ef.

The said honey-frames' are each composed of opposite vertical legs, e e, and horizontal vconnecting-slats, d

f, the upper slat, d, of each frame having its ends connected with the upper ends oi' the opposite legs e e, and

the lower' slat,f, of each frame having its ends connected with the central portions of said legse' e, as repre` sented in iig. 2. v

The outermost o'f each of the honey-frames d e f has a paneof glass, Z, secured within its rectangularopemng.

.The sections B B ,of the side casings ofthe hive, which are located immediately opposite the said panes of glass Z Z in the outermost honey-framesarc removable at pleasure, for the purpose of enabling the ownerof the hive to observe the operations ofthe bees at any time, by removing the said side sections.V

The said side sections, B B, may be secured in their appropriate positions in the sides of the hive by means of hooks and eyes, jj, fig. 3, or by any other appropriate fastenings. I 1

Above the series oi' honey-'frames d e and resting thereupon, another series of honey-frames, a b c, is placed, as shown iu the drawings. i l

The said upper series of honey-frames a b c is each composed of end-uprigbts, b b, and'connecting-slats, ac.-

The upper slats, a a, of the series of upper honey-frames, are`of such a width that there is not suiicient space between any tivo of them for the bees to pass from the honey-chamber up into the air-chamber, immediately above the said upper series of honey-frames. The remainder ofthe honey-frame slats, c elf, are oi' such a width that there are ample spaces left between them for the bees, which enter the air-chamber below the lower series of honey-frames, to pass up into thehoney-chambers within each series of said honey-frames.

The alighting-board t is hinged to the lower edge of the bottom section, D, ofthe hive, aud'the upper face of said alightingboard is covered with a sheet oiglass, z'. A portion, g, of the bottom section, E, ofthe hive is hinged to the main portion thereof, as shown in iig. 2.

The apertures t t in lthe said hinged portion qof the bottom section, E, permit the bees to freely pass from the alghting-board L z' into the air-chamber immediately beneath the honey-frames.

The sliding plate s, tig. 3, carries at its extremities perforated covers, u u, for the aforementioned apertures t t, the said plate being so arranged 'that by sliding` it in one direction, the perforated covers u u, at the extremities thereof, will close the apertures t t, and by sliding it in an opposite direction, the said apertures will be opened, for the entrance and exit of the bees.

These apertures ttshould be closed at all times when there would be danger of the bees becoming b enumbe'd with cold by a. sudden variation of the temperatureof the atmosphere whilst they should be abroad, and also at all other times when the safety ofthe bees might render it expedient to close said apertures.

Whenever a freer ventilation ofthe hive may be desired, the alighting-board z'i may be turned downwards, and the hinged portion, g, ofthe bottom section, E, may be turned upwards.

When the said hinged portion, g, of the bottom section, E, is in the closed position shown in tig. 2, it may be retained in said position by elevating the hinged alighting-board 7a t' to its highest position, and retaining it in that position by means of the buttons 1L on the inner side of the front legs of the bee-hive, shown in fig. 2.

By retaining the said alighting-board L 1.' at the proper degree of elevation, the bee-moth cannot ascend the glass face thereof, and consequently that marauder is completely excluded from the interior of my improved bee-hive.

The air-chamber, between the upper series of honey-frames, a b c., and the roof ofthe hive, is ventilated by means of apertures, m m, in the pediments of said roof.

The said Ventilating-apertures m m are protected from insect-marauders by perforated covers, and from any injury from the elements by means of hoods, o, one of which is shown in iig. 3.

It will therefore be perceived that the air is permitted at all times to circulate freely through all parts of my improved bee-hive, the bee-moth is completely excluded therefrom, without interrupting the free ingress and egress of the bees, and by the temporary removal of the side sections, B B, the operations of the bees within the hive can at any time be observed by the person who has charge of the hive.

Having thus fully described my improved bee-hive, what .I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The two series of removable honey-frames, of dilferent Widths, arranged the one above the other between upper and lower Ventilating air-chambers, substantially as herein set forth.

` 2. The glazing of the outermost-of the lower series of honey-frames in the hive, when the said glazed honey-frames are located opposite to the removable sections B B of the side casings of the hive, substantially as herein set forth.

3. 'lhe glass face of the alighting-board t, when the said alighting-board is arranged with the otherparts of the hive, substantially in the manner herein set forth. I

In testimony that the aforegoing is a true specification of mynew and improved beehive, l hereunto sign my name.

THOMAS SHIELDS.

Witnesses Jos. H. MULLERIX,

B. B. THEUPON. 

